"I would love it" - England star ready for potential position switch against Fiji

“I don’t know if that is going to happen or not,” Earl said. “I am just trying to help the team any way I can in terms of that stuff. We have got a lot of boys now who could do a good job anywhere. Henry (Pollock) could do a very good job on the wing, Ted Hill when he was involved was very, very fast as well. There are a few boys that could do it. It is going to be a strength of our team going forward I think.”

England’s squad reshuffle has left Fraser Dingwall as the only specialist 12 available, while doubts over Freddie Steward's availability due to a hand injury sustained against the Wallabies could cause further uncertainty in the backline. Earl, who has been one of England’s most consistent performers over the past year, is known for his pace and awareness — qualities that could make him a short-term solution in midfield.

If asked to step in, Earl says he would not hesitate.

“I would love it,” he said. “Just playing for England is the best — any position, waterboy, 12, 7, 8, I am buzzing to be involved. I love being here, love helping out in any way I can. Just being there at the weekend was awesome. How good was Twickenham, how good were the fans and how good were the boys? It was a really good day so keep that going if we can.”

Earl’s try against Australia came from a well-rehearsed aerial play, highlighting the preparation that goes into England’s kicking game.

“You see with our squad, 1 all the way through to 36, the aerial game certainly is and will continue to be a massive strength of our squad,” he said. “It’s no coincidence that Sam (Underhill) and I were there in that position where we were because we trained a lot, we focused a lot on that, and you sort of work out where that ball’s going to go.

"Have you ever seen The Last Dance? Dennis Rodman — he talks about it coming off the rim. We spend a lot of time working on watching the balls come out the hands, not to that same extent, but we talk a lot about where we think the ball’s going to go and gambling.”

That sense of anticipation and adaptability has fuelled talk of Earl filling in at centre, a position where he sees similarities with his regular back-row role.

“A good game as a 12 or a 13 and a good game as a back row — it is scary how aligned they are,” he said. “I am thinking best 12s, best 7s, best 8s, they almost all have the same skillset. To namecheck a few, Levani Botia was probably the first of his kind and Andre Esterhuizen now with the Springboks is doing a little bit there. It is going to become the norm, the skillset, the requirements are very much aligned.”

Earl says that if a switch does happen, he would not try to reinvent himself.

“It is not up to me where I play, it is not up to me even if I play,” he said. “It is up to the boss and the coaches. I am hoping, if I was ever to play 12, he would just want me to be myself and bring what I can bring. The moment you start losing a bit of your self identity and start trying to shoehorn yourself into a different role you lose what you bring.

“And Steve’s big thing, England’s big thing for the last couple of years and as long as I have been involved, is bring your super strength, bring what you can do and see where that gets you. That is quite a good place to start.”

That super strength — a mix of speed, power and relentless work rate — will be vital against Fiji, a side Earl knows will test England physically. The Pacific Islanders’ win at Twickenham in 2023 remains fresh in the memory, and Borthwick’s side are determined to avoid a repeat.

“We know the threats they have all over the pitch with the way they play,” Earl said. “It is an individual challenge but it is also… there are not many teams who play the way they do and have threats all over the park. It is definitely a heightened awareness on that.”

England’s defensive improvement under Richard Wigglesworth has been a key focus, and Earl believes that clarity has helped the team make strides since last autumn.

“It was part of our journey as a team,” he said. “Last autumn, the defence wasn’t the only thing that wasn’t quite clicking. We have grown as a team. We have found a way to win. Since Wiggy has taken over, he has been unbelievably clear and direct and forthcoming with how he wants our defence to look.

“The best defences going back many years have been the most physical. Wiggy has been clear in what he wants from us. But also asking us — there is so much knowledge in the room. We have some of the best defenders in the world in the squad which is just awesome.”

That physical edge will be essential again this weekend. Fijian players such as the aforementioned Botia tend to produce some huge hits and are generally very likely to be in the thick of things more often than not.

“I am not asking to experience it,” Earl said with a grin. “Whenever anyone says, ‘What is the biggest hit you’ve witnessed,’ it was Tom Curry on Josua Tuisova at the World Cup. The noise that made — I was like, ‘Oh my God.’ It is very rare you think of that on the pitch but it made me stand back and go, ‘That was unbelievable’. That is what it takes playing these guys.”